Whitney, now a first-year member of West Branch High School's FFA, began her 4-H career at age 9 with dairy beef feeder cows, but switched to steers as a nod to her father's past.

"I grew up on a farm and I loved the cows," explained Whitney,who added that steers appealed to her because her father had shown steers at the fair.

Whitney noted that she likes steers much more than dairy beef feeders, because steers are larger and she has them longer before the fair to "really work with them."

Elise joined the Circle 62 4-H club four years ago because "it looked fun." She also chose to switch from showing dairy beef feeders to steers because of her dad - though she admits that the possibility of beating her sister is exciting, too.

Elise and Whitney are anxious to see whose steer would sell for the most on market day.

West Branch High School freshman Jacob Rose, 14, was nursing a wounded ego on Wednesday after his dairy beef feeder placed behind one raised by his younger brother, Jarrod Rose. Jarrod, 11, took home the title of Grand Reserve Champion for his cow.

Jacob has been showing animals through the Knox Township Hawks 4-H club since he was 5 years old. He said he is interested in raising and showing cattle because not only does his family own a beef farm, but his father took cattle to the fair as a young man.

Jacob plans to put the money he earns from his cow in a college fund.

Jarrod, a five-year member of 4-H, said he didn't use a special strategy to raise his Grand Reserve cow.

"I think he's just a good cow," said Jarrod.

Jarrod said placing higher than his brother felt "pretty good." He plans to put the money from his cow toward "some kind of vehicle."

The boys' mother, Linsey Rose, noted that while there's a "big rivalry" between her sons, she enjoys the fair as much as they do.

"These kids just put so much time and effort (into their animals)," said Linsey. "I never got to do this as a kid, so I love watching my kids succeed."

Not all siblings who come to the fair are rivals, however. Bridget Soliday, 17, and sister Brooklynn Soliday, 16, both decided to join the Kids 'n' Kritters 4-H club four years ago. Both girls show dairy beef feeder cows.

"We just decided to take cows to the fair and chose a smaller animal than a steer," explained Bridget.

The girls emphasized that they show animals for fun and don't try to outdo one another in the show ring. However, the girls do disagree on one fair activity -- tractor pulling.

Brooklynn became interested in the sport after she saw a woman competing in a tractor pull. Brooklynn pulled 286 feet, 9 inches in the 8,500 non-turbo farm stock class at the fair on Monday.

Bridget has no interest in her sister's favorite sport.

"Dad tried to talk me into it, but I'm like, 'I don't think so!'," said Bridget with a grimace, "It's just not me."

A "smoker series" truck and tractor pull will be held in the grandstand at 7 p.m. Saturday will bring the sale of Junior Fair livestock, a "Saturday night pull-off" presented by Full Pull Productions, and junior and teen dances.